Who’s feeling the tremors of anticipation for the next installment of Grand Theft Auto? Judging by the buzz from the recent Summer Game Fest, it seems just about everyone is. While Grand Theft Auto VI has been absent from any official presentations, its impending release looms large over the gaming calendar. November, the month of its expected launch, appears conspicuously sparse in terms of other game releases, in stark contrast to the crowded schedule of the preceding months.
The excitement began at Sony’s State of Play showcase. Prior to the event, we already knew about the September 15th release of Wolverine, a significant PlayStation exclusive. However, the lineup has since expanded to include several major third-party releases, such as Dune: Awakening on September 22nd, Control Resonant and Silent Hill: Townfall on September 24th, Onimusha: Way of the Sword on September 25th, and Ace Combat 8 slated for October 2nd. These join previously announced titles like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, which is set for an October release.
At the SGF Live event, the trend continued with several high-profile games eyeing 2027 for their launches. This list includes Sega’s crime saga Stranger Than Heaven and its Virtua Fighter offshoot Crossroads, Bandai Namco’s Gundam Rogue Orbit, Capcom’s expansive addition to Monster Hunter Wilds, Maverick Games’ new racing title Clutch, and Telltale’s much-anticipated The Wolf Among Us 2. The evening’s standout announcement, Final Fantasy VII Revelation, is scheduled for release next spring.
Meanwhile, even before Xbox’s keynote this Sunday, Microsoft has already made strategic adjustments. The much-anticipated Fable has been postponed once again, now expected in 2027. Microsoft candidly admitted that the decision partly stems from a “year packed with incredible games,” explicitly naming GTA VI among others as a factor in their scheduling strategy.
While not every game is shifting its release date because of GTA, it’s clear that some are. This isn’t a new phenomenon; last year, when Silksong dropped an unexpected September release date, other indie games adjusted their plans accordingly. The situation with GTA VI is similar but on a much grander scale. This isn’t just indie developers making room; these are industry giants like Sony, Microsoft, and Capcom considering their moves.
The rationale is understandable. GTA VI promises to be a blockbuster, following a predecessor that has sold nearly 230 million copies across three console generations and continues to thrive through its online mode. While GTA VI may not reach those astronomical figures, significant sales are almost guaranteed. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick anticipates “new record levels of operating performance” driven by the game’s November 19th launch. Even a mere hint of a new GTA VI trailer can send the internet into a frenzy.
But when everyone has the same idea to avoid November, it creates a different kind of problem: There’s a complete logjam of major releases over the next few months, particularly in September, when several major games are now coming out on the exact same day. Is that really any better than being in the vicinity of GTA?
When The Verge asked Control Resonant creative director Mikael Kasurinen about this at a recent preview event, he seemed undeterred by the sheer number of games launching in the same window. “We’re confident in our game,” he explained. “We feel like we’re in a good place, we have a very distinctive, unique experience, and we believe in that.”
Of course, there’s one notable absence from that list of companies dodging GTA, and that’s Nintendo. The company hasn’t yet detailed its holiday plans, and has instead focused on upcoming titles launching soon, like Star Fox (June 25th), Rhythm Heaven Groove (July 2nd) and Splatoon Raiders (July 23rd). But beyond that the calendar is empty, so there’s almost certainly a big announcement (or announcements) coming up that will reveal the games that will power the Switch 2 through the all-important holiday season.
If there’s one company that would buck industry trends and launch a major title in November, it would be Nintendo.
Additional reporting by Kallie Plagge.
